The preservation of the building of Khalsa College was cited as one of the main grounds on which the government recently approved the proposal to scrap the Khalsa University Act.

UNESCO representative Meo Chiba at the Khalsa College campus.(Gurpreet Singh/HT)

Even as the Punjab government has come up with a plan to get the historic Khalsa College building included in the UNESCO’s world heritage site list, the governing council of the college on Wednesday opposed the move.

The opposition came on a day when a UNSECO representative Meo Chiba visited the Khalsa College campus.

The preservation of the building of Khalsa College was cited as one of the main grounds on which the government recently approved the proposal to scrap the Khalsa University Act.

“ Khalsa College has not applied for any heritage tag and neither this tag would suit us. Once the college building gets the heritage status, it will come on the tourist circuit, and tourists coming to the college would hamper the academic atmosphere,” said Khalsa College for education principal JS Dhillon while talking to HT. The college is affiliated to the Khalsa University.

KCGC spokesperson Dharmendra Rataul said no status can be imposed on the building without the consent of the management. “We have a right to deny any tag given to the college building. The move is just another arm-twisting tactic by the government to build pressure on us,” said Rataul.

The UNSECO representative, who was accompanied by local Congress MLA OP Soni and members of the Punjab tourism ministry headed by Navjot singh Sidhu, also met Dhillon.

Meo Chiba said she is here on the invitation of Sidhu. “One has to apply through a proper government channel to get a heritage tag for a monument/building. First, an official submission is made by the Government of India and then a group of international experts does the scrutiny. My task is to visit the place and then explain to the minister the procedure and steps required,” she added.

“A heritage tag requires a serious commitment towards maintaining the structure. Many feel that once a site gets a heritage status, UNESCO will come and do things. This is not true. The primary responsibility of maintaining the place will be of the Centre and the Punjab government,” she added.